I am looking to begin homebrewing but honestly don't have much background knowledge at this point. Pleasr help in answering the basic questions or direct me to sources where I can find some information. I understand a 5gallon kit is ideal. Is there a specific brand that is best, or where is a good place to get a whole kit? Besides a brewing kit, what else is needed to begin homebrewing? I appreciate any help.
Do you want to start all grain or extract? I recommend extract for a few brews to get the hang of it. You can probably get a kit with the basics at a local home brew shop. Kits are subjective though, a lot of home brews build their own. Five gallons is kind of a standard but a lot of people do one gallon batches, others do ten plus. Read "How to Brew" by John Palmer it is free online and an essential, also "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian is ok. Good luck!
Unless you are in a rush, I recommend taking the time to read John Palmer's How to Brew (at least the first several chapters) before you jump into the hobby. There is a free version online but if you are at all serious about getting into the hobby, I would get a hard copy. It is the book I use more than any other and it was incredibly helpful to me when I was starting out. The book will help you understand the equipment you need and help you think about what might be suitable for your living situation. For instance, a lot of people like 5-gallon batches, but living in an apartment, I prefer to brew 3-gallon batches. On the other hand, some people find that they prefer to brew 10-gallon batches and they regret purchasing equipment that doesn't accommodate that. One specific equipment recommendation I'll make is to use either buckets or Better Bottles to ferment your beer. A lot of new brewers, including me when I was just starting, think that glass is somehow better, partly out of fears of things like BPA (not a worry with HDPE buckets or PET Better Bottles), and partly because it just seems more traditional. But glass is heavy and fragile, and I have found Better Bottles to be much more suitable for my needs. I have also never had to use a brush to clean my carboys - a good soak in PBW (a cleaning chemical that homebrewers use) has always done the trick. (I bring this up because people seem to be terrified of scratches in plastic equipment, but I've never had occasion to use anything that would scratch my Better Bottles.) In any case, you will probably do fine with a kit from any of the major retailers. The big online names I'm aware of are Midwest and Northern Brewer, although I believe they are under common ownership at this point. MoreBeer is also very good though somewhat less local. If you live in the Chicago area, there are some local retailers like Brew & Grow or BevArt that may be able to help you. If you live near a homebrew store, I recommend getting to know the people there, because they will probably end up being a good source of knowledge and feedback for you. So if they sell a kit and it seems decent, giving them your business may be a good way to go. And that's about all you need - How to Brew and a decent kit. Then you'll just need to get ingredients for your first recipe - there are plenty of recipes in How to Brew, or you could buy an ingredient kit as well.
Welcome to the BA site, kreusch1, and to the Homebrewing forum. It seems like many new brewers who ask the same question that you did are currently living in an apartment, and there are considerations for that living arrangement that will guide your entrance into this hobby. (A major stumbling block right off the bat is the electric stove that you might be stuck with.) If this is the case for you, then I suggest that you page thru 6-8 screens of this forum to look for a recent thread that discusses that topic (or do a search). You'll also see a number of other posts from those like yourself who are also asking what steps to take to get started. There are a lot of different ways to get started, so reading thru those posts will get you many opinions/suggestions quickly, possibly more than the replies that you will get in this thread. I'll echo the recommendations above to read howtobrew.com or purchase the newer edition that is in bookstores or is easily found online (about $20). There is just so much good info in that book that it will tie up any loose strings that you might have along the way when learning this hobby, so it's a good teaching tool as well as a reference source.
Spend the $11.27 and buy the book. http://amzn.com/0937381888 Also, look around and see if there is a local homebrew score (LBHS) around your area. Not all LBHS are the same as far as informed employees, but don't be afraid to stop by and ask questions, compare pricing, and look around. There will be plenty of times when you get a "damn, I forgot [item]" and I'm brewing tomorrow morning. http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/find-a-homebrew-supply-shop/
John Palmer's book is available on line for free. But you'll want the new edition, which you will have to buy. My advice, Start with an extract kit that uses some specialty grains to add flavor, mouth feel, color, and complexity. Most local home brew shops will have a quality kit you can buy, and they are a wealth of information. two of my locals also have "brew labs" where they will actually help you through your first beer. I cant ever recommend brewing a "no boil" or "pre hopped" kit. I have been brewing a long time, I have never had good results with either. So if you can, go to a local home brew shop and ask for help choosing a recipe. I'm sure everyone will echo the following; Sanitation, Correct Pitch of yeast, and correct fermentation temperatures are much more important than which kit you choose. Here is the truth, if you can make oatmeal, you can make good beer. Much of the stuff you hear us all discussing on this forum and on HBT is stuff that will improve your brewing, but which is not absolutely necessary.
@kreusch1 - welcome from a less experienced member here. It wasn't long ago I was in the very same boat. I went with the beginner kit - couple six gallon buckets, air lock, bottle capper, caps, bottle filling gizmo, and racking cane - basically the Northern Brewer kit but sourced at the local home brew shop (LHBS). I'm a research hound, so by the time I was ready to attempt my first brew I'd read Palmer, poked all over the place in a bunch of forums, talked to colleagues at work who home brew - yep, I got this... ...and I forgot probably the most obvious thing - a danged KETTLE, believe it or not! I had the fermenting equipment etc, an easy extract recipe from the LHBS to follow with some specialty grains to steep, everything laid out like a chef does mise en place, cleaned sanitized virtually the entire kitchen... Laughable looking back...all ready to go except holy crap where do I put all this water to boil? Then three or so weeks later I'm scrounging the house for empty bottles... I think you can go whole hog or take the crawl-walk-run approach. There's no limit to what you can spend, but the basics are pretty much the same. Took a while before I invested in a wort chiller, for instance. Ice and the sink worked fine and while the chiller works a lot better, it didn't seem essential from the get-go. I still haven't done an all-grain batch. I work in food technology, so I love equipment and have to resist that urge to splurge! The best investment, I think, is knowledge. Basic equipment - you're into it for somewhere under a hundred bucks (not including a boil kettle ). Talk to people and don't be afraid to ask questions. Everybody was in the same boat once - anyone who makes you feel inferior for asking a rookie question? Well, you don't need to be talking to them anyway and I've found that to be the exception rather than the rule. Find a local home brew club if there is one - maybe you can help on someone's brew day. Seeing the process first hand makes it a ton less mystical. Visit local home brew shops - if you have some basic knowledge, you'll quickly figure out which one to trust. I have three in my area that range from total idiots to home brew Yodas. And maybe down the road, if you haven't done so, I found brewery tours very educational for seeing how it comes together - obviously much bigger scale even for the smallest brewery, but same principles apply and it is educational to see hose principles applied. Welcome to the black hole!
Lots of great posts in this thread. If you have a quality LHBS nearby purchase your homebrew kit and ingredients for your first batch from them. They will provide 'free' advice and will answer any questions you may have. They have a vested interest in making your first batch a success; they want to continue to sell you ingredients and equipment. Cheers!
Thank you all for the advice and optimism. I have some homework to do, but it seems you have given me a great foundation.
think i should mention, Youtube is a great place to learn about brewing your first extract and partial mash kit. there are hundreds of beer videos on youtube. also, if there is a local home brew club. you can just show up and ask for help. believe me, there is someone at the club who will be helpful. either helpful because they are just a good guy who wants to help, or helpful because they want to show off. either way you could get some experienced advice.
